While passion and excitement often ignite a new business venture, what keeps that business running smoothly is attention to the everyday details. Every aspect of operating a business requires careful planning and execution — from inventory management and training staff, to customer service and marketing.

Finance and accounting in particular can be intimidating topics for entrepreneurs. Even if you’ve been successfully operating a business for years, handling the financial side often remains a challenge. Without a solid understanding of these key operational aspects, however, you could be putting the financial health of your new business at risk. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone.

This ebook was designed to help you operate your business more efficiently.

To that end, we’ve identified six financial areas to focus your attention:

Business plans

Revenue and expenses

Bookkeeping

Cash flow

Payroll

Taxes

To help with each, we’ve pulled together the fundamentals of small business finances:

The important concepts and terms to know

Deciding which tasks to manage in-house, and which can be outsourced

Tips and tools for keeping your business finances in order

Knowing when it’s time to call in an expert for guidance and help

Real-world examples from businesses like yours

After you’ve read this guide, put your knowledge into action.

Get your financial footing by starting with some or all of these items:

Find a payroll service provider.Learn how Deluxe can help your small business

Begin collecting receipts and other tax-related documents.

Consult a financial adviser, accountant and/or tax professional.

Start from the beginning or jump to the sections most relevant to your business. If you come across an unfamiliar term, find an explanation in the “Financial Terms to Know” section at the end. Return to this guide as often as you need to and remember that you have a mentor at SCORE and a partner in Deluxe.

For more than 100 years, Deluxe Corporation has sought to create the tools that help shape our economy. Since 1915, Deluxe has recognized the vital role that small business plays in our communities, from job creation to business development. For these reasons, the Deluxe Corporation Foundation provides financial support to nonprofits that help entrepreneurs and small business owners succeed. Our grants to SCORE have totaled more than $1.5M in recent years, with the majority of these funds supporting the creation and updates of online training and certification for SCORE mentors.